Search form

8 Sutherland Street

Architectural Description:

Colonial Revival - Dutch Colonial style

Historical Narrative:

Shawsheen Village was named after the Native American name for the river Shawshin, which means Great Spring. Prior to Shawsheen Village this area was known as Frye Village. All the streets in the new Village were named for Castles & Cathedrals in Great Britain Sutherland Street takes it name from the historic seat of the Earls of Sutherland, Dunrobin Castle, a mile to the north of Golspie, Scotland. The current castle was developed out of an old stronghold that was remodeled in modern times by Robert Lorimer.

This house is in the Shawsheen Village National Register Historic District, surveyed in 1977 and created in 1979. It was designated a National Register Historic District in 1980 by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

This home was built as part of the Shawsheen Village development from 1918-1924 by William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Company. Wood hired about eight different architects to design the homes and structures for the village. Homes were leased through the Homestead Association who had offices in the Post Office building on the corner of North Main & Poor Streets, later moved into the Administration Building.

Each home incorporates a different look, style and design modifications, most noticeable with the front door entrances. Decorative details on the corner boards and a variety of ornamental trellises, window boxes all added the “icing on the cake, of the original designs. Most of the homes now sport a variety of different colors, no longer all white with green shutters as dictated in the original deeds. Many of the
original screen porches have been enclosed for an additional room.

After the death of William M. Wood on Feb. 2, 1926 most of the residential and commercial buildings were then sold. Some were held by the Wood family in the "Arden Trust" and others with the American Woolen Company, which had been deeded the property in December 1920. The A.W.Co. Board of Directors authorized its President, Lionel J. Noah, to deliver all deeds, as deemed necessary to the Textile Realty Co. for sale on Dec. 29, 1931.

The Textile Realty then transferred ownership to the Andover Shawsheen Realty Company on June 30, 1932, holding the mortgage on the properties. T. Edwin Andrew, treasurer, was authorized to sell or lease the properties. With the Great Depression sales were sluggish and many homes were rented until the economy rebounded.

One of the first occupants of record to lease the home in 1923 were James & Gertrude J. DeWolfe. James was in the Traffic Department of the American Woolen Co. A comptroller in today's job description.

This house was sold to John J. & Catherine C. Haddon, Jr. on Oct. 21, 1936. The property was transferred to Catherine C. Haddon on June 3, 1938. Catherine then sold to
Everett & Alice E. MacAskill on Oct. 7, 1938. In 1943 Everett b. 1903 is a clerk in Lawrence and in 1961 list occupation as Office Manager. Alice b. 1903 is working for Raytheon who then occupied the former American Woolen Co. Shawsheen Mills buildings before moving the plant to West Andover in 1970s.

MacAskill owned for 38 years then selling to John H. & Deanna B. Atchison on Oct. 1, 1976. Atchison is still the owners of record in 2015, now 39 years.